Check sorting machine



F 1954 7 LE ROY J. BENSQN 68,706

CHECK SORTING MACHINE Filed April 11, 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet l INVEN TOR.

1954 LE ROY J. BENSON ,668,706

CHECK SORTING MACHINE .4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 11, 1962 IN V EN TOR.

BY 01 Mu 1954 LE ROY J. BENSON CHECK SORTING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed April 11, 1952 /7 77 DANEY Feb. 9, 1954 LE ROY BENSON 2,668,706

' CHECK SORTING MACHINE Filed April ll, 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 IN V EN TOR.

Patented vFeb. 9, 1954 STATE-S PATENT OFFICE- CHECKaSORTING MACHINE Le Roy J.Bnson, Columbia, s. 0;

Application April 11; 1952, Serial No.-281;797 f Z'Cliiinis.

This invention relates to a sorting-machine, and.- whilesit is zdesigned'respeciallyforsorting ch'ecks rit is capableof use in sortin ;similar.doc-- uments or 1 articles zsuch as .vouchers,- receipts, paperamoney and the like; Accordingly yini-lthe following description; .the .--term check: is :em- I played for. convenience of description :only and is not used by Way of limitation.

Thisz-application is a I continuation-impart of ADI'i'Il24, .1950. Y

Myinvention.is.=-concerned :with a :sortirig -ma'- chineiof thestype havingza binfor receiving a a stack of checks toibewsortedpthe stack '.bei-ng::Sup-'- ported upon avertically movable bottomor platformisin.:-= the :bin-ya ;feeding -:device. for: removing.-

the :top;. checkwirom the-stack :and A feeding :the

check sto a; conveyingzi guideway adjacent the stack; .a keyboard arranged adjacent the stackand having :a numberof keyecontrolled devices forselecting- ,andoperating-any one-of a number oftil-table gates :arrangedu-atspaced stations along. the length of theguideway .andforsimultaneously operating .the feeddevicesto move theuppermost check into-the conveying guideway. 4 As the check is conveyed alongthe guideway and reaches'the selected station; .the tilted gate at the selected station will deflect-the check downward intoa suitable storage bin;

The present invention is concerned with the:- arrangement.--for feeding the 1 checks. from. vthe top of: the'stackinto the; guideway,: and also the arrangement for automatically.- elevating. the

stack;

Specific objects of-thezinvention. are (al To devise an improved-feeding device for removing :the top check-4 from etheastack the v-im-l proved I feeding device. involving 11a, friction .ele-i ment arranged :bO engage; thewtopacheck' :on- -the stack and to be continuously vibrated at the irequency :of the localpower supply current; such as 25;-50 01 560 cycles per seconds,

element:

A rpreferredf0rmi0f my:jnvention:.-is illustrated'1 myrearlier '1 applicatiomrsers No.- 157,820, filed 2 in :the accompanying idrawings'incwhich Figure '1. is .a .side elevational viewshowing :a-rportionof a: checkesorting machineembodyingsmy improved feeding device:

Figure'2 is a planview of Figure. 1;

Figure F3 isflia 'plan .view on an e enlarged scale:

with respect to Figure f2 showing the detailsiof: the horizontal "guideway ,of the-machine;

Figure "4 'is a :sectional' view 'of- Figure 3 taken: on a vertical plane just inside of atheuguideway wall IBa in Figure3; a

Figure 4a is a sectional zview ofIFigure 4 -taken along the line u;a ;u1.

Figure "5 is latrear-selevational viewof a portion of the "machine ashowing ther ratchet-t arrange-. ment for elevatin the check platform;- I

Figure'fi'is a plan view of Figure 5;

Figure -'7 is a diagram-showing gthenelectric control circuits embodied v in the? machine zand- Figure .'7a 'is' a diagram sshowing-a :modification of Figure 7.

Referring to the idrawing the *bin" 'for receiv:-* ing the stack a of checks is: shbwrnat I, and-"this: bin is of rectangular cross-section and' I'is;;'rsup=.- ported in a "verticallpo'sition by a suitable frame: The bin isprovidedwith "a movableibottom'ior:

, platform 2 which ismounted upon a carriage 2d:

arranged for vertical-sliding" movement =-"oni:a- Vere-r tical rod 3. The-platform:-2"issupportedwin a horizontal position "upon an: arm zlfexten'dingz from the carriage -2a;-"through' a vertical -islot formed in them rear end vvall of" the stack bintfi Apart of the front-sidewall ot thecbin shown: at ia in Figure '1" is formedr as aihingedhdoori through which access may be hadtothe -bi'n for the purpose of placing-a stack of "checks upon platform 2.-' It' will be understoodyhoweverg=that the checks' may be placed 'upon' the platformthrough the upper open 'end ofthe loi'nil'if desi'recl. A pair of plates of "transparent'matrial- 'l b 'and lo" are arranged against 'the inner'ia'ces' ot-the rear and-frontside walls of'tlie stack 'b project above the upper edge of 'the b'ih*for* a short" distance as shown in Figures 1; 4* and 5.?

These plates effectively extend" the height of the? sidewalls without obstructing the vision of the operator in reading the'data in the-top check The carriage 2a: of the movable platform 2- counter-weighted' by means "offla suitable *cha-urr ipassing over a pulley!) adjacent to the other? end of' the' bin-Jand f having attached t itS ff end a counterweight 6 whichis arranged 'forlver tical sliding 'movement'withinta guidectube :1:

As shown Figures '5 and 6,=' -the":-pulley':5 is? mounted lupomawshafit '-5a-.-;which is j ournalledii within a suitable housing H arranged at the back end of the stack bin. Shaft 5a carries a gear 6 on one end thereof which meshes with a pinion 9 carried on the end of a shaft H] which also is journalled in the housing H. The shaft I is provided at one end with an operating knob Mia and at the other end is provided with a ratchet wheel I I which is engaged by a pawl Ha which is pivoted to the housing H. Pulley is formed at its periphery to have positive driving engagement with chain 4, either by sprockets or sockets engaging the chain links.

Ratchet wheel II is also engaged by a second pawl l lb carried by a lever I2, one end of which is pivoted to the shaft ID. The upper end of lever I2 is connected by a link 13 to the plunger [4 of an electromagnet I5, and the arrangement is such that the platform 2 may be raised vertically by the repeated energization of magnet l5 which will operate the ratchet wheel ll through successive steps, the wheel being held stationary after each step by the pawl Ila. The platform 2 may also be raised and lowered manually by shifting the shaft I0 axially thereof so as to move the ratchet wheel I I out of engagement with pawls I la and I lb, and by turning the shaft I0 by hand, the platform may be raised or lowered as desired. The pinion 9 is made of greater width than the gear 8 to permit the shaft Ii] to be moved axially for thispurpose. A suitable spring lilb secured to the housing H cooperates with a pair of notches in the shaft [0 to hold the shaft in either position of axial adjustment.

At the front end of the stack bin I is arranged a horizontally extending guideway formed by a pair of side walls Mia and I61) and a bottom wall I! arranged substantially in the plane of the upper open end of the stack bin I. At spaced points along the guideway, the bottom wall is provided with transverse openings in which are mounted a number of pivoted gates l8 which normally are positioned horizontally to close the openings but which may be tilted about their longitudinal centers to an inclined position to intercept'a check traveling along the guideway, and to deflect the check downwardly through the opening. These pivoted gates may be operated by suitable electric devices such as the electromagnets I9 shown in Fig. 3. These magnets are supported on brackets on the outside of the guideway walls, and each magnet has an armature 2I secured at its center to the outer end of the pivot axle of its associated gate. Each armature is provided at its ends with laterally extending portions which project over the ends of the magnet when the armature is aligned with the magnet. As shown in Fig. 1 (where only one magnet is shown), the brackets and magnets l9 are supported at an angle to the horizontal, while the armatures 2| are normally maintained inhorizontal position by a suitable biasing spring 22. Thus the gate is normally held closed. When the magnet I9 is energized, the armature 2i swings around its axis into alignment with the magnet [9 against the force of spring 22 and thereby opens the gate attached to the armature.

As shown in Figure 3, the magnets for alternate gates are arranged on opposite sides of the guideway to conserve space. The horizontal guideway is also provided with transverse slots in the bottom wall thereof at convenient points between the gates I8 for receiving conveying rolls 23 which are carried on shafts 24 journalled in the side walls of the guideway and having one end thereof extending beyond the sidewall as shown 4 in Figure 3 for carrying driving pulleys 25 which are driven by belts 26. The outer ends of shafts 24 may be journalled in a frame member 24f. All of the drive rolls are driven from a common source of power such as the motor 28 (Figure 1) which is connected to the pulley 29 on one of the roll shafts 24 by means of a drive belt 30. Preferably the rolls are maintained in continuous operation while the machine is in use.

Mounted above each drive roll 23 is an idler roll 3| which may be solid throughout its length or which may be formed in short spaced sections as shown in Figure 3. Rolls 3| are provided with shafts am the ends of which extend into vertical slots 3lb formed in the side walls of the guideway. These slots may contain springs for pressing downwardly on the ends of shaft am but I find that satisfactory operation is obtained without such springs, and inmost cases, the rolls 3| simply rest upon the drive rolls 23 under their own weight.

A pair of narrow strips 32a and 32b are arranged horizontally over the ends of gates [8 wire 33 is provided with a number of rearwardly extending arms 33a the ends of which rest lightly upon a stationary part of the bottom wall I! of the guideway. The wire 33 is also provided .with forwardly extending arms 33b arranged to extend substantially in a horizontal direction and having the end portions thereof bending backwardly and downwardly as shown at 33b in Fig. 4. When the gate l8 below the hold-down device is tilted upwardly, the forward edge of the gate is free to pass above the end of the inclined arm portion 33b and this portion serves to deflect the check downwardly and away from the front edge of the tilted gate. Each hold-down device is provided with a biasing weight'33c whichnormally holds the rearwardly extending arms 33a in light yielding contact witha fixed portion of the bottom wall of the guideway positioned directly in front of one of the tilting gates. By this arrangement, the rearwardly extending arms 33a serve to direct the check below the front edge of the gate positioned immediately to the rear of the device when that gate is open. Any of the holddown devices may be removed from the guideway by buckling the wire 33 enough to remove one end" from its socket. 1

Positioned below the horizontal conveying guideway is a series of storage bins for receiving the checks that are discharged downwardly through the various gate openings. These storage f bins are constructed in a stacked arrangement,

to the'bins. -If desired, the common front wall of the bins may beformed'of a series of hingedsections. The bin spaces are formed between the back and front walls by means of a plurality of parallel plates represented at-36-43, inclusive,

arrangedltransverselybetweenthebaclcand front; WvHSI-al'ldw being ;inclined;1-to. thegverticalg.by apg': proximately 25% 7 As. shown tin-the drawing-,iplate; 36 forms thefront wall of anumber ofybins Bi E2 B 3-.;and B l,- arranged in! vertically stacked relation. In a similar-I manner,:plate,-.4 lforms-thee back..wa1l;for.- a likesnumber of vertically stacked; bins, B5,- etc, and this arrangement; of. .groups; of bins is repeated to :provide any:desirednumbens ofbins. The bottoms of; theiindividual 'binsrarez formedby transverse plates 44, andeachbottom; wall. is-.-provided with. a roughened :uppensurface: to :prevent the checks .0. from. s1iding iover;"the;v surf ace; and this'may be accomplished in various. ways :suchas by covering. the bottom {wall with: arSheet of: sand paper as shown; at} 434a. in; Fi -14. Each ;=storage binzis. provided ;with an individual; chnte.,; whichi extends; upwardly from. 'the supper; right-hand {corner got-the. bin; toga .apositiomime; mediatelyibelowmneiof the pivotedgatesyla, for; example, the chutegfor 'binBZ- is formed-between plates '31- and: 38- v and is ..:represented atv B2 In; aglikeimannen; the. chute, for.. bin .33. is formed; between; plates "39 and 140 and: is shown ;atB.3:.-;

The .-:space between plates; 38. and. :39sis. a. dead: space;..and is notused.

Eachstorage bin is provided :with a. removable 1 hold-down device-afor retaining the checks. in; properly stacked relation.- One such .device. is shown indetail in :Figure 4=zbut it will .bev understood-:that each bin is equipped-with a similar: device. Each device. is formed of a removable. bracket 45' preferably v formed. .ofan elongated strip of sheet metal having a hook atitsu'pper endiwhich is hooked'overthe upper edge 'ofthe backlwall of the chute of. the -bin:and=extendsdownwardlyalong thechute in contactwith the: back wall of the chute; and-thelower end of the: stripextends into the bin and is curved at its lower end to direct the checks against-the front; wall of thebin, as shownin Figure 4.- The lowerend of the bracket strip" 45 'is provided with apair of parallel ,ears 45awhichextend rearwardly from opposite edges ofthe bracket strip and engage the rear wall of the bin; A curved-holddownwire 46 has its upper end positioned be-- tween the ears 45d and is pivotally supported-by these ears in suitable pivot bearings, and the wire 46 is yieldingly urged 1 towards the front wall of the bin by a suitable biasing means suchasthe weight M attached to the wire 46 in'a posi' tion which tends to rotate thewire about itspivot support.

Each bin is'also provided with a signal circuit for energizing I a suitable signal when the -'bin: becomes full. One suitable arrangement is-illustrated in- Figures 4 and laand --comprises an insulating sleeve '41 projecting through-the rear wallof each storage bin nea-rthe bottom thereof andnear theback wall. A conducting wire 48* is passed through the sleeved! as the inner endthereof is bent into the form of a loop as shown inE-liia inFigure- 4a., Thisloop is]arranged-jin the path of movementgof the holddown wire 46, and when the hold downwire comes in-contact with loopfEBa a circuit i's completedto energize a suit able signal as described hereir-iafter.

The preferred form of feed'devioe for feeding 6r withingzthis-sbraclcet .aon horizontakaxis also is an electric vibrator of suitable construction... The type-rs: oi:..vibrator illustratedl is commonly. employed. in vibrators massage. machines and; is.

formed: or. any: E-sha-ped -mag net icstructure 50.

havinga magnetizedg-winding; surrounding the centralyleggthereoi and .having. vibratory ,arma ture 52;,extendingacross the. vtwo outerlegs and being.. -resiliently.;supported: at one -end by means. ofla spring element fl,gthe. free .end of the arma-l turebein c ld in spaced-relation-tmtheadia cent outerqleg.ofgcore-lln Theifree end of armaw. turefiZ carriesiaifriction elementii-zformed ofa suitable.frictiqmmaterial.such as rubber. Inthe. exampleillustrated, thetrictionelement is formed from the ir-ubberi-cup oft-a massagelmachinel but i the cup isgcut .awa"y ;,along .a diagonal plane so thatithefriction element. is ot wedge shape with. the.apemdirected generally downwardly. Asuit-H able.ibiasing spring fiZ is zprovidedo at one end of the. pivotal lax-is -of the. -.vibrato r 50, and is..-con--v nected between bracket AQ and the axle .4911. so that. it-pnorrnally;tendssto rotates the yibratorin a; countereclockwi-se.direction as shown in Figure 1 2' (andin ;clock-wise.--.dir ection inFigure and normallyholds the-frictionelementv 56in an elevatedwpositionawith respect toathe top ofpthe stacker-checks By rotating thevibrator about its :axisin the opposite direction -from the biased direction-,-the frictionfelementa54-may be brought into aco'ntact. with cthe top check and,v ifthe vi-., brator is operatingat.this time; the. iriction. .ele-...- ment: 54:;will.quickly;gremovegtheitop checlo from thecstaclr and feed;it.- t0wards,1.the conveying,

guideway. It will be noted that the elementML-is vibrated; downwardly: with; a. substantial componentpf; motion :towards; the conveying guide way; and when gthe vibrator is operating. at the frequency:- of, the usual power supply source, the

;. top check is removed from .the stack-very quickly.

Insiactnthe action appears .to-. be the same as if the ;top check weresthrown or; projected fromv the stack-.ltovvards the;guideway..

The arrangement for operating. the feeding. dee.

r vices-from its bftpositionito itsoperativeposition includes an ,-.electro-,magnet 55 .mounted .within "=strol :e, any-"force that mightresult from the con the top check from the staclt'irithe stack -bin.

I to the horizontal conveying guideway is -i11usr tratedin Figures --l 1.1 2 5 and 16, -arid is alsoshown diagrammatically in Figures-17.? Thiss= device .;is.: supported in spaced relation; abovethe: t0p;;..0f

the stack; ;bin:;on a suitable lbracketasuctn as.-.thex:

inverted LeshapedEbracketAQl-Q.Pivotallylmounterk.

housin v;,I- I-,..as shown in-Figs. 2, 5..and 6, and having =a.reciprocable.plunger;55a which is con nected by means of .a, resilient. link .56 tothe vi-w brator at a. point-below its pivotal axis... Thelink Eipreter-abl-y isiormed of a length of resilient wire,: and this. link is connected to the vvvibrator. bysa,non-rigid,v connectionembodying disc 51', preferably -formedwof hard fiber,.and mounted for 55 3 free rotation upoman-larm 58 extending laterally from.=the;l0wer.-rou-ter ;leg;zof ;-.the vibraton. The link fifi is connectedstol-the.disc 51 by being passed through; a; .-hole-;;for;med in. the disc .near: its outer 1 periphery; .p This:. atyp'e of;connectionyperinits the 1 vibraton toxbespullede down into operative posi:

tionabv. tension applied through the link. :56 from plunger tfia'but does-not transmit any vforce :from the vibratory-to themagnet armature 55kt. After the armature" 55w=reach1es-the limit of its working tinuedinoti on or the vibrator due to its momentum'will'not be, transmitted through the wire link Eiifib'ecause the disc 57; jwillgsiinply rotate about itspivotal agis to allow fonthe further movement t e-v b ates inii i iq vi ainsmut n .any an: preciable.forceto. the rnagn plunger.

Amormally openelectr-ic switch. 59; is, supported. to the. rear. oft magnet 55-on .a bracket. fifl and is.-

vci rr ne dstoibe nereted i se ng i itime:

extension 55b of the magnet plunger when the magnet is energized.

Normally only the top check from the stack within bin I will be fed by the vibrator to the conveying guideway, but occasionally two checks may stick together and feed forward. For the purpose of preventing more than one check from being fed to the conveying guideway for each operating cycle of the machine, I provide a special device at the front end of the guideway to return to the stack bin all checks except thetop check. This arrangement involves a, pair of oppositely driven rolls 6| and 62 arranged one above the other but out of contact. One of these rolls, for example the upper roll BI, is supported upon vertically movable bearings which may be adjusted by suitable means such as screws 63 to vary the separation between the two rolls. This separation is adjusted in accordance with the thickness of the checks being sorted so that only one check can pass between the two rolls. As shown in Fig. l, roll 52 is driven in a reverse direction from the direction of rotation of conveying rolls 23 and the cooperating roll 6|, and

this is for the purpose of driving rearwardly' all checks that are fed forward except the top check. All of the conveying rolls 23, and rolls 6| and'62 are preferably formed to have a surface of semihard rubber somewhat harder than the tread on automobile tires and not as hard as a typewriter platen. I find that satisfactory operation is obtained'by driving the reverse roll 62 at a speed of about 800 revolutions per minute and the upper roll 6| at a speed of about 2400-revolutions per minute.

For the purpose of directing the top check between the pair of rolls BI and 62, a U-shaped spring member 64 formed of a relatively narrow strip of thin spring material is arranged with its arms extending horizontally, the upper arm being mounted at its end upon the cross-bar 65 supported upon the upper edges of the side walls of the guideway, and the lower arm extending inwardly towards the roll 6|. This spring prevents the check from being deflected upwardly and forms a guiding surface for directing the check between the two rolls. For a similar purpose, a second spring member 66 formed ofa narrow strip of very thin spring material is arranged below the arm 64a of spring 64 and ex-' tends from the edge of the stack bin into the space between rolls 6! and 62 and forms a lower guiding surface for directing the check between the two rolls.

center of the roll 61 without making contact with the roll. By this arrangement, the check being fed from the stack is brought into contact with the forwardly rotating roll GI, and this roll then feeds the check forward to the first pair of conveying rolls 23-3l. The reverse roll 62 is also provided with a circular groove formed at the center thereof, opposite the resilient finger 66, and into which the finger is pressed when a check passes between the pair of separating rolls.

,For the purpose of selectively operating the various gates at the different gate stations, a suitable keyboard KB is arranged along the front side of the stack bin I as shown in Figures 1 and 2. Preferably the keyboard is of conventional construction commonly used in typewriters, and is arranged so that the stack bin is directly behind the keyboard, and the operator is normally in a position to read the signature and other identifying data on the check. Usually, there As shown in Fig. 4, the spring member 55 extends into a groove formed at the would be one storage bin for each key, and where the sorting is made alphabetically there will be at least 26 bins, each bin being assigned to a key representing one letter of the alphabet. The individual key arrangement is shown diagrammatically in Figure 7 where only two keys have been shown for illustration. According to the usual construction, each key is formed of a horizontal lever 10 pivotally supported at oneend on an axis "H and having suitable biasing means represented by the spring 12 for normally holding the lever in a horizontal position. The free end of each lever is provided with a finger piece 13. Each lever I0 is connected with a second lever 14 which i mounted to tilt about a fixed pivot 15 and is pivotally connected to the lever 10 at a point near its middle, see point 16. When the lever i0 is depressed to the position shown at T0, the lever 14 is tilted about the axis 15 into position 14. The levers M when used in a typewriter are of much longer length but are cut short for use in my invention. A latch bar 11 is arranged transversely above the upper ends of levers M and is mounted for swinging movement about a horizontal axis 18. The arrangement is such that when a lever 70 is depressed and the lever 14 is rotated in a clockwise direction, the locking bar H is tilted upwardly until the upper end of lever 14 passes below the lower edge of the locking bar 1! and into position shown at 74'. When the depressed key is released, the lower edge of latch bar 71 prevents the lever 14 from returning from its position M to its original position 14. Arranged transversely of the keys HI, and p0- sitioned above the keys and in front of levers M, is a bar of insulating material i9 which supports a plurality of U-shaped brackets 80, one bracket being provided for each key and arranged within the plane of movement of the corresponing lever 74. A conducting plunger 8| is supported for sliding movement by the bracket 89 and is normally urged towards the upper end of lever '14 by a spring 82. Each bracket is connected to one terminal of the operating magnet it which operates the gate I8 which is assigned to the particular key associated with the bracket. The connection between the magnet and the gate !8 is shown diagrammatically in Figure '7 and does not correspond to the specific arrangement shown in the other figures of the drawing. The other terminal of magnet i9 is connected to the live terminal of a secondary winding of a suitable step-down transformer 83 which is energized from the usual source of alternating current for house-lighting, the other terminal of the secondary winding being grounded to the keyboard as shown at H. The arrangement is such that as a key is depressed and the lever 74 moves i into position 14', this lever engages the plunger 8| andthereby completes the energizing circuit for the magnet 19. If the key is released, the latch bar H prevents the lever M from returning to its normal position, and thereby maintains magnet E9 in an energized condition until a different key is depressed, whereupon latch bar, 77 I releases the previously latched lever M and it returns to its normal position. It will be understood that the various brackets 89 associated with different keys are connected to individual magnets l9 for operating different gates assigned to the respective keys. Mounted upon bar 19 and extending transversely across the outer ends of plungers 8|, in spaced relation thereto, is a conducting bar 84. i

ergi'z'e-the operating magnet of-the" feeddevice. I

' *The energizingfwinding fi I; of the vibrator may *be connected in parallel with' the ma'g'net55 "d will" be energized simultaneously with magnet "5 5 by the closing of the *circuit, but winding 5 i "may -"beenergized continuously'1through a separate Y circ'uit if desired. Theene'rgi'zing bircuit'forf-the 'magnet 'l 5-whi'ch elevates platform? in: steps is false "completed through -co'ni'i'ection and through the normally openT'Switch- BB which {is arranged to be moved to 3 closed 'posi'tion' by the plunger'e'xtension 55b of magnet 55.

SWitch '59 '"is pos'itiond-with respect to -the plunger extension 55b so that the plungermust operate through its full stroke in order to close the switch 59. Accordingly, each time the key is I depressed and released; magnet 55 would be energized andwill close switch 59 -to energize the magnet l5 which will operate the ratchet wheel one step and thereby elevate the platform; by one step. This operation will continueuntilthe stack of checks on the ..platform reaches the ,.-proper elevation 'below "the vibrating feeder. When the stack has reached the proper elevation, the stroke of the magnet plunger 55a will be limited by the engagement of the friction element 54 with the top of the stack, and switch 59 will remain open until enough checks have been removed from the top of the stack so the feeder will close switch 59 on the next stroke of the plunger 55a whereupon the stack will be elevated one step.

A signal lamp 86 is mounted on the keyboard KB at a location convenient to be seen by the operator, and this lamp is connected as shown in Figure 7 to be energized from the secondary winding 83 whenever one of the hold-down wires 4'6 makes contact with the fixed contact 48a arranged within a storage bin.

The operation of my machine is believed to be apparent from the foregoing description, but a brief summary of the operation is as follows:

It will be assumed that a stack of checks has been placed in position upon the platform 2. The platform is elevated to feeding position by the repeated depression of any key, preferably the key which will make the proper selection for the top check on the stack. After the stack is at proper elevation for the feeding, the operator determines from the top check the appropriate key for sorting the check and, upon pressing that key, the gate assigned to that key is first moved to an open position and then by the further downward movement of the key, the vibrator magnet 5| and the operating magnet 55 of the feeding device both are energized to effect the feeding of the top check towards the conveying guideway where it is guided between the separating rolls 5! and 62, and from there it is conveyed along the guideway by rolls 23 and SI. If more than one check is conveyed forward by the feeding device the reverse operating roll 62 will prevent all but the top check from passing between rolls GI and 62, and only one check will be fed to the open gate for each operation of a selecting key. The check is conveyed along the guideway until it reaches the selected gate where it is de- V c'teaidowfiwa diyiflnto 'f'tii appropriatefbhiite :leading to the 's'torag 'binass gned to the selected "key. "It will'be notedthatthelatch bar l'l opera'tes't'o maintain theselected magnet" l9fe 'ergize'd until, adiffrehtky is' depressed; and this avoids the unnecessary operation of any particu- 'l'arfifgaflte"if it should happen that a series'fof s'u'ccessive checks are "selected rer "storage infthe "samebim I As' the "checks" pass downwarclly through an open "gate; theinclined arrangement-ofthe'chutes and 'stcjrage binsihakesjitpossible for the checks tofbe "stacked properly within each binwithout the assistance" or? any moving mechanical parts; arid solely through the operation of gravity upon" the check. Referring toFigure a's'each check? enters the""'stora'g e bi'n at'thefiipper right hand "corner 'thereof'fit'is' deflected towards the front wall by the strip 45," and the momentumf'of "the check "due to'itsido'whward' movementj is sufiicint to drive t e check downwardly against the, bottbm' waiiu'between 'the'pre'viously stacked checks and "the hold-down w'i're lfi- By providiiigT'a roughened jsurfa'ceonthe bottom wall, the checks remain stacked 'in {a I generally vertical position;

- otherwisein the absence" of such roughened surface" there is a' tendency'f'or the checks. to slide over the bottom'wall and to become stacked 'in bent or curved condition.

7 Due to the fact that my machine does not "employfixed stopsfor gaging the' top of the stack cf checks carried, b 'platform2,' theinachiheifis "adapted for-the sorting 'bf various 's'izesof checks which could be stacked within the stack bin,

whereas in machines that do use fixed stops, the operation is limited to checks having a size falling within certain narrow limits.

For the purpose of obtaining access to various parts of the machine, it is convenient to construct the conveying guideway as a unit structure which can be removed from the top of the combined bin and chute structure. Also it is convenient to form the side-walls of the chute into two separable parts, one part carrying the upper rolls 2| and the other part carrying the driven rolls 23. This arrangement permits the upper rolls to be removed readily in case a check becomes caught in the guideway or in any of the gates.

By arranging the storage bins in repeated groups of vertically stacked bins, the length of the guideway is reduced to a minimum for any given number of bins, and by providing a conveying speed of sufficiently high value, it is possible to convey a check from the stack in the stack bin to the gate at the extreme end of the guideway within the time required for an operator to read the identifying data on the next check in the stack and to press the proper key. Thus, the speed of operation is limited only by the time required for the operator to read the check and select the proper key. The operation of any particular key is very simple, since it involves a momentary depression of the key to its lowermost position followed by an immediate release.

In Figure 7a I have shown a modified arrangement for controlling the operation of the stack elevating means. In this arrangement the stepping magnet IE is energized from directly across the secondary winding of transformer 83 through switch 59. In addition, a normally closed limitswitch 88 is connected in series with the energizing circuit of magnet 15, and the limit-switch is mounted on the stack b-in near the top thereof, as shown in Figures 5 and 6, in a position so that its actuating member 88a will be engaged by-the .top

of the stack as it moves upwardly; Thus, when p the top of the stack reaches a pre-determined V terrupted and will not be closed again until a I sumcient number of checks have been removed from the top of the stack to permit the switch 88 to close. With this arrangement, the switch 88 will normally be set in a position so that switch 59 will be operated to closed position on each operation of the feeding mechanism. If the contacts of switch 88 should become stuck together, switch 59 will prevent the stack from being elevated beyond a higher limit than the limit set by switch 88, it being understood that the actuating member 88a of the switch 88 is resiliently flexible, and will permit the top of the stack to rise to a position where the switch 59 would be prevented from closing. The switch 88 may be of the microswitch type which requires very little pressure for its operation. It will be understood that the remaining parts of the control system not shown in Figure 7a are connected as in Figure 7.

While switch 59 has been shown as arranged to be operated by the plunger of magnet 55, it will be understood that this switch may be arranged to be controlled by any other movable partof the check feeding arrangement.

I claim: a

1. A device for feeding checks or similar articles from the top of a stack comprising, a friction member, means normally supporting said member in-elevatediposition above. thetop of said stack, means for moving'said memberdownwardly, into contact with the top of said stack, and means for vibrating said member when in contact with said stack at a frequency within the range of 25 to 60 vibrations per second and with a component of movement transversely of the axis of said stack.

2. A device for feeding checks Or similar articles from the top of a stack of such articles comprising, an elongated rigid member mounted above said stack with one end thereof located immediately above the top of the stack, a yieldable friction element carried by said one end of said member in a position to engage the top of the stack, and means for continuously vibrating said member at a rate of a plurality of vibrations per second, said member being mounted to move said friction element into contact with the top of said stack duringeach vibration thereof and with a component of movement transversely of the axis of said stack.

LE ROY J. BENSON.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,170,091 Molyneux Feb. 1, 1916 1,442,126 Cadden Jan. 16, 1923 1,457,124 Rinsche May 29, 1923 2,010,130 Barnes Aug. 6, 1935 

